12.20.2010

Even though I started my Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving, it has taken me this long to post my pictures. I guess I was waiting for the house to be perfectly clean and for some reason that just hasn't happened! So here it is... a Keeler Christmas where apparently the theme is "more is more" because there is a whole lot of Christmas goin' on around here!

It was so fun doing my mantel this year, because a few months ago my handsome and talented husband added some fun molding to the top of the fireplace. I think it made it quite grand!

So, of course, I had to buy new stockings to go with it! I bought tons of yardage of vintage lace from the barn sale that I have used all over. Lace and bells were definitely a theme this year!Birds are always a focal point at Christmas in our house or any time of the year!

My cute feather tree that I bought at Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic store on super sale before it went out of business. There's nothing better than a high end store with a liquidation sale!

The bells were another score from there!

It's okay to put a nativity under a cloche isn't it?

I bought the new console table at Marshalls for $60!! It really "glams up" the dining room, don't you think?

I bought the vintage garland at the barn sale and draped it over my chandelier. The picture doesn't do it justice. It is just the perfect creamy white shade, with a really subtle sparkle. It's my favorite find this year!

The branch that hangs over my kitchen table got dressed up for Christmas too. Birds and nests, what else? Well, snowballs and icicles too.

The felt garland was a gift from my sister Stacy last year. It was a labor of love. She planned on making a bunch of them but they were so time consuming she only made one...and there it is. I love it!!!

My girls did a lot of the decorating this year, including this bakers rack in my kitchen. Here's a little tip for you: take a picture of the area and put it in the box with all the decorations from that space. I handed them the box and the picture and they were able to recreate it for me.

I used to decorate a lot upstairs when my loft was mostly red and white. We redecorated the loft this year and it just didn't look quite as Christmas-friendly. I had to add a new tree that would flow with our new look.

12.13.2010

I love Christmas decorating!! It takes me a week or so to do it all and I keep adding things all the time but the end result is completely worth it!! Especially if your having any events (mine is a bridal shower on Dec 22nd!!!) But it makes you really step up your game!

I sprayed those frames a glossy white to Christmas them up a bit!

My new sunburst mirror that I got at an estate sale for 10 bucks!!! Love my more modern look this year!

New stockings from Farmers Wife....linen with a touch of gold threading!!

Lanterns are awesome for so many things!! Be creative! My branch is still getting something done to it :)

My new stockings and the Walmart glitter letters for $1!! Love them!!

Ikea cute tray for $6 bucks and put this tree in a cute pot with snow to cover ugly container it came in.

Still working the jar look from fall just switched out the colors of cookie cutters and the candy of course.

Loved this tray from Target when it was $30 but waited till it clearanced at $7.48!!

Another ugly hidden container in a cute planter I had from outside.

My lovely new (ok loaned) china hutch from my good friends who had to go and move to Austrailia (yup I'm bitter)!! But it has changed up the look of my dining room sooooo much!!! I need to post before and after pics but I am waiting for my chandelier that I hope Santa (or anyone for that matter) will bring me for Christmas!! Also look at my new crown molding!! Thanks Doug!! He is out for hire if anyone needs wood work.

My modern art looks good with everything!! Great backdrop for the cloches.

See so cute!!

I am adding a wreath above the Noel sign, I just hadn't yet :) Kristi made that cute Noel sign!

I use this tree for Valentines day also. Cute silver mirrored tray from a garage sale for $10.

Tried to go more moderm and clean on front door. Spray painted my pots a glossy white and the stick wreath also. But nothing looks cute on my poop brown front door!! I so need it painted and new hardware.

A bird of course :) Hope sign at walmart for $1.

You can put balls anywhere and it adds so much!!

I wanted you to see that I don't hate red :) I think that is the glare not dirt on my stainless steel...

My new Anthropologie dish towel... Love it!!

Hope you enjoyed a partial house tour!! Once I finish the girls trees I might post those also...

12.01.2010

The kitchen project started when Krissy wanted to refresh these shelves in her kitchen.

I have a love/hate relationship with shelves. They are great when you need storage and want to have some display space. But when they are too large you just end up putting stuff there just to have stuff there. Krissy had a lot of shelf space. We decided to just make them a little more utilitarian. We used some of her baking dishes that were in cupboards but kept some of the decorative things that she loved. We found the cute blue and green plates and plate racks at TaiPan. We loved the pop of color they added. And that blue is definitely the "it" color of the season. Just don't ask us the name of it..not teal, not navy, just bluish, greenish, grayish.

Couldn't stop at just those shelves though. The table got a cute new runner and fun accessories.

The aprons on the wall gave us another way to add color.

Tai Pan Trading .. we need one in Temecula!

The runner that was replaced on the table got moved to the island along with some cute topiaries. For some reason I have to have something under all my displays. Everything is either on a runner, tray, platter, plate, whatever. It just seems to work better. You can't tell from the picture, but we added the blue plates to the tiered stand too.

We fancied up her sink area with a new rug, cute basket, new dish towels and fancy soap in a cute bottle. Never underestimate the power of a cute soap container. Please don't just buy the generic bottle of liquid softsoap in the ugly bottle. Splurge on one nice bottle of soap and then just keep refilling it with that generic softsoap liquid stuff. Just a little tip from us girls!!! Also, the little jar has her dishwasher soap tabs in it. Might as well make them look cute too. Plus, they are out when you need to get to them.

And on to the Family Room! No before pictures, but she had the basics: sectional, clock, most of the pillows and an ottoman that matched the couch - but it had taken a bit of abuse.

We found the leather ottoman (better suited to take the abuse of a family room ottoman!) and put a pretty rug on top of her carpet to just ground everything. Of course, we had to add the "it blue"color from the kitchen in the great throw and the lamp that we had seen at Marshalls and were just dying to buy for someone! Doesn't it look great with her yellow and coral pillows. We added the small offwhite pillows with all the colors to just tie everything together nicely.

We got a great deal on the chair (a recliner!) and added the end table and picture to finish it all off.

The family room and kitchen flow together nicely!

This angled wall between the garage entry and the kitchen was the perfect place for a "drop zone". The small desk is just right for keeping mail, writing phone messages and dropping keys. The round ottoman can be used as a seat or brought over to the couch as an extra end table or another place to put your feet up. We bought it because it was cute!